Implications of intestinal microbiota for the Etiology and Therapeutics of Parkinson´s Disease

Abstract

Introduction: It is known that patients with Parkinson´s Disease usually present gastrointestinal disorders, and that the intestinal microbiota can have an influence on the seriousness of the clinical presentation of this disease.
Objective:To show the implications of intestinal microbiota for the etiology and therapeutics of Parkinson´s Disease.
Material and methods:A bibliographic review was made from October 2016 to May 2017.  HighWire and PubMed databases were searched using Boolean descriptors and operators. Advanced search strategy was used for the selection of articles, and the methodological quality or the validity of the studies were considered.
Development:Evidences based on the association of intestinal microbiota and Parkinson´s Disease were identified, which were mainly consisting of the levels of infestation with Helicobacter pylori; the reduction of the average number of the Prevotellaceae; the relative quantity of Enterobacteriaceae and its association with the seriousness of postural instability and the difficulty to walk; and the minor risk of suffering from Parkinson´s Disease in patients with truncal vagotomy.
Conclusions: Even though there has been a considerable advance in the knowledge of the role of intestinal microbiota in Parkinson´s Disease, new studies will be required to elucidate the causal and temporal relations between intestinal microbiota and Parkinson´s Disease, and evaluate the use of pro- and prebiotics as a treatment strategy in patients suffering from it.

Keywords:Parkinson´s Disease, Enterobacteriaceae, Helicobacter pylori, intestinal microbiota, Prevotellaceae, vagotomy.